Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois who is never more than a week away from some sort of controversy has apparently blasted his own fans for their heckling during a home match.
Chelsea FC’s Thibaut Courtois needs to shut his mouth.
When he’s quiet and lets his football do the talking he is one of the best goalkeepers in the game and a titan in goal. When he speaks he is often the example of an out of touch, isolated and selfish footballer who has grown to not understand exactly what the game means.
Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois has recently suggested that fans shouldn’t boo Chelsea players when they are playing unbelievably poorly, at home, to lesser competition. Courtois is quickly ruining what could be a fine, perhaps historic, career with his ill thought out commentary.
Does Courtois ever wonder who it is pays his salary? Does he ever wonder who it is wears the same badge as he but does so with pride instead of disrespectful overtures to foreign suitors? This is absurd.
Is it true that it can be hard to deal with whistles and heckling. Yes, it absolutely is. That’s the point of it. It’s not as if Chelsea supporters are sitting in the stands having spent a good portion of their salaries to sit shoulder to shoulder in the cold and think “Oh I bet they’ll just love it so much if I whistle or boo”.
They’re communicating with you Thibaut. Chelsea were awful against Leicester and have been so for weeks. The West London club is stuck in a midseason malaise that is quickly leaving them simply to try and qualify for the Champions League next season instead of defending their title.
No one is saying that Thibaut or the other Chelsea players should like being booed. No one is saying that it’s a good thing for Chelsea supporters to do. But surely they can be understood. Chelsea haven’t been good enough. Rather than complaining about the people who pay their salaries not liking the way their performing why not be a professional and play better?
More from Playing for 90
- Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
- Everything you need to know ahead of the 250th ‘Super Clásico’
- Barcelona put five past Real Betis
- Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
- Baffling Liga MX ruling strips Puebla of a hard-earned victory
The truth is against Leicester Courtois was one of the standout players for the Blues and his speaking up is interesting. But supporters are allowed to express themselves. By making this suggestion Courtois just more thoroughly ties himself to the image of the over-coddled-cotton-glove-treatment-needing-no-matter-what-Mommy-loves-you-brigade.
Chelsea supporters wouldn’t have heckled if it looked like Chelsea players gave a damn in recent weeks. But the truth is it has been three straight matches of mediocrity from their idols. They’re a famously loyal bunch of supporters but they need to be given something back. It was hard to pick out a single Chelsea player that put in an honest shift against Leicester. To try and fail honorably is OK! No one will ever suggest that it isn’t.
But to simply collect a paycheck without even sweating never will be. Chelsea’s players didn’t even show up to run against Leicester and frankly would have lost the match had Courtois not saved them. It’s honorable in a sense that the Belgian is sticking his neck out for his teammates. He is however simply misguided here. He should be telling his teammates to pick it up and challenging them to get better not blaming the fans for being unhappy.
Next: Chelsea want to ruin United's grand plan
The truth is Chelsea have deserved a good heckling for weeks now. If they hate it so much then they should play better. Supporters who are used to high standards boo when the football isn’t good enough. The Bernabeau is a famously hot stadium when things aren’t going right. As is the Camp Nou and the San Siro. This sort of thing is par for the course at big clubs. Play better if you don’t like it. That or you could always get a job at Asda and watch the professionals do it on the weekend.